Top 20 Trends of 2009 – Part 1

I feel like the months of December and January are full of lists – wishlists, resolutions, lists recapping the year and predictions for the year to come. 2009 is no exception. There are plenty of people trying to guess what this year has in store for us. Some of them seem accurate, some seem totally random.

Check out Trend Hunter’s Trends in 2009

Here are my thoughts on numbers 20 – 11.

20. Return to the Kitchen – I would say that this “trend” has been around for a few years, if not longer (and my parents would say it’s no trend at all, it’s just being smart!). For those of us with several restaurant numbers programmed into our phones, the rising popularity of the Food Network and cooking shows, the credit crunch and an increasing emphasis on healthy eating may lure us into the kitchen. If this is considered a trend, it’s one that I’m happy to follow. It’s fun, easy, can be really inexpensive and it feels good to know exactly what’s going into your food.

19. DIY and the Rise of the Cottage Industry – Another one I’m happy to see increase in popularity. I went through sewing, knitting and crafty phases but usually find my creations half-finished in a bag in my closet. Maybe my dream of designing and making jewelry and clothes will lead to supplemental income? Not if everyone else has the same idea.

18. Ugly Beauty – That first guy is scary! I like this one, because it celebrates “what seems real,” but I don’t know how much this will pick up in advertising and media. I’m pretty sure we’ll still be bombarded with unrealistic images.

17. Hollywood Viral – Kinda cool because it proves that the best way to access a lot of people are through channels that “regular” people can access, even though name recognition is a big reason that people check out their sites and videos. Blogs and YouTube? I can do that! Using my name to draw attention? Not so much.

16. Shockvertising 2.0 – Hey, whatever you can do to catch someone’s attention is fair game, right? I like the creative aspect of this, but some of these ads can push the envelope a bit too far.

15. Geek Pride – At Rice, where I went to college, we used to say that it didn’t matter if we lost the football game, at least we’d get a job. So-called “geeks” are often very successful and that’s a good thing to be proud of. But let’s not take it too far. Yes, the internet has become pervasive and I’m a huge fan, but I don’t know if I’d get an HTML tattoo. Just sayin’

14. Ageless Inspiration – I’m a big believer in celebrating and respecting our elders. If this really is a trend, I’m all for it! But let’s be inspired by and respect them, not take advantage of and laugh at them, okay?

13. Urban Gardening – As someone who’s lived in a crowded NYC apartment, this one is certainly appreciated. Anything to add a little green is a good thing.

12. Physical Customization – Totally cool! My bf and I made customized Nikes and Pumas two years ago, but I don’t anyone else who took advantage of the feature. The shoes weren’t more expensive than other designs on their sites and we could pick the color combos and fabrics, which made for ultimate creativity and individuality. I’m excited to hear there are more options to do stuff like this!

11. Virtual Tourism – Also a cool idea, especially when it’s accompanied with an article or for kids learning about the world. But I do think that being in a place with all the people, noise, SMELLS, can’t be beat by anything virtual.